Multiple departments battle 15-acre woods fire in southern Davidson

Monday

Nov 26, 2012 at 10:44 AMNov 26, 2012 at 4:35 PM

Firefighters with several volunteer fire departments battled a woods fire on 15 acres Sunday evening and into Monday morning on Bald Mountain in southern Davidson County, said Richard Beck, chief of the Healing Springs Volunteer Fire Department.

BY DARRICK IGNASIAK The Dispatch

Firefighters with several volunteer fire departments battled a woods fire on 15 acres Sunday evening and into Monday afternoon on Bald Mountain in southern Davidson County, officials said.Firefighters responded to the fire about 6:12 p.m., and firefighters with the Healing Springs Volunteer Fire Department cleared the scene about 2:30 a.m.“It’s still not out,” Richard Beck, chief of the Healing Springs Volunteer Fire Department said about 10:15 a.m. “They are still down there plowing around it (Monday).”Beck said the woods fire is under investigation by the N.C. Forest Service. He said the Healing Springs, South Davidson and Badin Lake fire departments responded. Beck said he was not aware of any injuries with the woods fire on Bald Mountain.If it doesn’t rain soon, officials may have to put a burning ban in place, Beck said. The chief urged residents not to burn brush until it rains.Davidson County Fire Marshal Brad Needham said firefighters were dealing with a lot of small brush fires across the county Monday. He said people were leaving the fires unattended. Needham said firefighters continued to work on the fire on Bald Mountain on Monday afternoon.“My advice is to check the local weather and everything before you decide to burn,” Needham said. “Make sure if you are emptying fireplaces, make sure you water down the coals and spread them out and put them out with water. Don’t just dump them and leave them. They can sit there and smolder for days.”Needham said he was going to get with the N.C. Forest Service, and he and the forest service will evaluate the drought conditions and fire dangers. He said he couldn’t warn residents not to burn outside until he discussed the matter with N.C. Forest Service.According to readings at the Davidson County Airport, Lexington has received .09 inches of rain through Monday. The normal is 3.39 inches for this month, and the airport received 2.36 inches last year in November.Larry Morgan, emergency management coordinator with Davidson County Emergency Services and deputy chief of the Southmont Volunteer Fire Department, said firefighters with his volunteer fire department responded Friday afternoon to a fire that burned about three acres of property at Briggs and Cress roads. He said firefighters don’t know where the fire started. Morgan said there was minor damage to a barn because of the fire.“It’s just so dry,” he said. “I have no idea what started the fire. It’s still under investigation.”“Fire will spread quick,” Morgan added. “It takes very little to start it.”A spokesman with the N.C. Forest Service could not immediately be reached for comment Monday afternoon.

Darrick Ignasiak can be reached at 249-3981, ext. 217, or darrick.ignasiak@the-dispatch.com.